Latest news with #Scientists
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Today will be one of the shortest days in history. Here's why
The Earth will complete a full rotation at a faster rate than usual today, according to The planet's rotation will be approximately 1.34 milliseconds less than the usual 24 hours we are used to. Although you won't be able to feel the difference, the shortened day is part of a recent trend in the planet's rotation that scientists have not been able to pinpoint the cause of, according to The invention of the atomic clock in 1973 allowed scientists to begin recording the speed of the rotation of the Earth through exact atomic frequencies, as opposed to regular manufactured clocks which are prone to slight errors, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology's website. From 1973 to 2020, the shortest day ever recorded was only 1.05 milliseconds shorter than 24 hours, reads. Since 2020, however, the Earth has repeatedly broken its own speed record since then, with the shortest day ever recorded being July 5, 2024 at 1.66 milliseconds shy of 24 hours. The shortest day in 2025 was July 10, at 1.36 milliseconds short of 24 hours. July 22 is expected to finish out the year as the second shortest day, according to If this trend continues, scientists may need to subtract a second from the atomic clock by 2029, reads. Although scientists haven't been able to determine the exact cause of the rotation, a 2024 study suggests melting polar ice caps and rising sea levels might be affecting Earth's spin. Another theory is that something in the Earth's core is influencing the Earth's rotation, according to More News Read the original article on MassLive.
The Independent
15 hours ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Climate change could spell the end for beaches at European hot-spot
& Suman Naishadham Coastal erosion is severely impacting Montgat, a town north of Barcelona, threatening its beaches and summer tourism. The erosion is primarily caused by climate change, leading to more intense storms and significant sea level rise. Man-made beaches, developed for tourism after the 1992 Olympics, are eroding at an accelerated rate compared to natural coastlines. Authorities recognise that simply replenishing sand is insufficient, advocating for structural solutions like breakwaters to prevent further loss. Scientists report that sea levels along the Catalan coast are four times higher than three decades ago, with an estimated 60 million euros needed to stabilise the metropolitan coastline.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Earth's rotation is speeding up for 2 more days this summer — including today
Technically speaking, these days will be shorter. Planet Earth is spinning a little faster today — and will spin a little faster one day next month, too. This will technically result in shorter days, but the change will be so minuscule you won't even notice. Several milliseconds will be shaved off of the 24 hours it takes for Earth to complete a full rotation — we're talking even less time than the blink of an eye. Why is Earth's rotation speed changing? Planet Earth is our timekeeper, but it's not perfect. It takes our planet 24 hours — one day — to complete one full rotation on its axis, which breaks down to 86,400 seconds. But Earth's rotation could change by a millisecond (.001 seconds) or two every day. The orbit of the moon can have an effect on how fast the Earth spins around. 'Our planet spins quicker when the moon's position is far to the north or south of Earth's equator,' according to 'Earthquakes, volcanoes, tidal forces, subterranean geology, and many other mechanisms can cause the planet's rotation to slow down or speed up, and those micro-adjustments can trend over time,' Popular Mechanics reported. The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan in 2011 accelerated Earth's rotation, shortening the length of the standard 24-hour day by 1.8 microseconds (0.0018 milliseconds). These tiny day-to-day fluctuations in the Earth's spin speed began to be measured in the 1950s with atomic clocks. Any number above or below the standard 86,400 seconds is called the length of day (LOD). The shortest day recorded was on July 5, 2024, when Earth completed its full rotation 1.66 milliseconds faster than the standard 86,400 seconds. When will this happen? There are a total of three days this summer when the moon will be around its furthest distance from Earth's equator, resulting in a minuscule increase in the Earth's spin speed. One of them occurred on July 9, when the day was shortened by nearly 1.4 milliseconds. The remaining two days are predictions from scientists: July 22: Earth loses 1.38 milliseconds of the day Aug. 5: The day is shortened by 1.51 milliseconds Wait — isn't there another day that's considered the shortest of the year? What feels like the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere is known as the winter solstice, when Earth is tilted away from the sun at its maximum. This results in the fewest amount of daylight hours all year and occurs in mid-December. Will Earth always have 24 hours in a day? There weren't always 24 hours in a day. Researchers believe that in the Jurassic Period, it took Earth just 23 hours to make a complete rotation around its axis. Scientists have found that the length of a day on Earth is increasing each century by about 1.7 milliseconds. Over time, that adds up. Experts think that 200 million years from now, there will be 25 hours in a full day. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
17 hours ago
- Science
- The Independent
‘Cannibal' robot can grow by consuming other machines
Scientists at Columbia University in New York have developed a robot capable of growing and healing by consuming other robots. This innovation allows machines to absorb and reuse components from others, heralding a new dimension of autonomy for artificial intelligence. The research team demonstrated the concept with a robotic magnet stick, the Truss Link, which can self-assemble and enhance its performance by integrating new parts. An example showed a tetrahedron-shaped robot increasing its speed by over 50 per cent by incorporating a new Truss Link as a walking stick. The developers suggest these self-sustaining robots could be used in specialised applications such as disaster recovery and space exploration, potentially enabling AI to construct physical structures.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
World set for second shortest day on record on Tuesday
Anyone trotting out the well-worn "it's been a long day" line on July 22 might end up having to rephrase, as Earth is set for its second shortest day on record due to an inexplicable recent acceleration of the planet's rotation. The latest estimate is that July 22 will end an imperceptible 1.34 milliseconds off the full 86,400 seconds or 24 hours, according to the US Naval Observatory and the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS). That's a fraction of a blink of an eye, which lasts around 100 milliseconds. Blink and you'll miss it, in other words. But there is even a chance that July 22 could end up breaking the record for the shortest-ever day, which was clocked on July 5 last year. Either way, July 22 is just the latest in a series of shorter days this year as Earth spins faster than usual. If the trend continues, it will require an adjustment to clocks sometime down the line, perhaps by shaving off a second by 2029. After all, real time and time recorded on atomic clocks has to match up as best as can be achieved, as communications devices and satellites could otherwise be thrown off-kilter. Records have only been kept since 1973, following the invention of atomic clocks accurate and precise enough to allow for such detailed and intricate timekeeping. Why Earth is spinning more quickly remains unknown, though scientists have said the most likely explanation lies deep inside the planet - in the inner and outer cores. Earth's inner core, which is believed to be a solid ball of iron and nickel with its own rotation, was last year reported to have slowed down, according to research published in the journal Nature. Other researchers have detected changes to the Earth's magnetic field, such as a potential weakening that could leave the planet more vulnerable to solar storms. The field is thought to be generated by the Earth's outer core, which appears to be made up of molten metals and acts like a giant dynamo. Solve the daily Crossword
